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MBT tank series
The MBT is the standard designation for all tanks made by the Republic of New Norgencia (ex. People's Republic of Norgencia), built under the Big Leap for Norgencia program (3523-3524) MBT-1 The MBT-1 is the main battle tank used by the Norgencian army. Locally-built, it is considered one of the most well-armored tanks, but is let down by its sluggish handling and high weight. History The MBT-1 originates from an acute need to field a tank as armored as possible, especially after gun trials on older, bought Norgencian tanks, which were pitted against artillery and got their fronts blown off. The first MBT-1 was rolled out in 3524, under the Big Leap for Norgencia program. General characteristics The MBT-1 is a rather decent tank, relying on its stupid armor values. Armament The main gun of the tank relies on its ridiculous muzzle velocity stats of its 115mm NGKwK '24 L/71 (length of 71 x 115mm) rifled gun to penetrate enemy armour. It has a 1200m/sec initial muzzle velocity, which is one of the highest. With a gun caliber of only 115mm, though, the shell itself would be individually weak. The tank is equipped with a 20mm Oerlikon cannon and a 7,62mm ShKAS machine gun to fend off infantry at close range or strafing strike aircraft. Armor Nicknamed The Behemoth, this tank has exceptional armor, which has been designed to bounce the heaviest of projectiles. The frontal armor has almost no weakspots, with the only one being the small and hard to hit machine-gun port. It is made out of composite plating. The side armor is spaced and relatively tough as well. Handling The tank is rather sluggish due to the transmission and engine struggling to cope with the 77-ton weight of the tank. While the top speed (55km/h) is decent, as is the acceleration, it is very difficult for the tank to come to a dead stop. The transmission provides seven forward and two reverse gears, more than enough for a tank this heavy. Also, its engine, while simple and reasonably powerful, is hand-cranked and takes a long time to warm up (changed with ausf. C) Fire control systems The tank is reasonably accurate, but not due to any advanced fire control. It relies on its shell speed much more to be accurate. The fire control is rugged, reliable, but simple. It has infrared, laser and optical capabilities. Fire can be controlled by the gunner, loader and commander, making the tank difficult to succumb to disabled crew members. Final verdict The MBT-1 is a powerful tank. Sure, it is being restricted by its poor mobility and titanic weight and both can make it a pinata for the enemy, but the gun's velocity and accuracy, along with the durability of the tank can also turn it to an unstoppable juggernaut. Its pros are the great armor, wide tracks, high engine power and great reliability, also the rate of fire is acceptable, as is the shell velocity. However, the tank suffers from several other teething problems such as average firepower (115mm gun is rifled and thus restricted to firing normal AP/APCR shells, while 120mm gun of ausf. B can fire APFSDS at the cost of low shell capacity and horrible reloading rate) and relatively slow speed and poor mobility. Variants of the MBT-1 * SPG-1 (also known as MBT-1 artillery) - a massive 172mm L/54 howitzer based on the MBT-1 chassis. About 150 produced. * MBT-1 ausf. A - base variant. Engine: Kaena-werke HL450 TR, 990 horsepower, power-to-weight ratio of 12,73. * MBT-1 ausf. B - a modification of the base MBT-1A model, it is about 2 tons lighter (although still extremely heavy for a main battle tank) due to the removal of the machine gun port on the frontal glacis plate. The turret has been redesigned and can now take the 120mm Rheinmetall L/44 smoothbore gun, as well as the standard 115mm NGKwK L/71. If a specially designed mount is used, it can also use the 75mm MSCO against infantry units or light armored vehicles (the same gun is used on the Crustacean-class destroyers). The tank has all of its 7,62mm ShKAS machine guns removed, and replaced by a single 20mm Oerlikon. Seven MBT-1B's were produced, including two experimental/development vehicles. A new engine - KW HL450 TRM, 1250 horsepower, 16,67 power/weight ratio. * MBT-1 ausf. C - removed side bar armor, but can take on skirts instead. No option for a 120mm gun, but uses an improved 115mm NGKwK '25 L/71 ausf. A. Engine has also been improved and uses a 1900 shaft-horsepower engine which, combined with the tank being two tons lighter, bumps up its top speed to 61 km/h. Said engine is no longer hand-cranked and warms up for much less time than the old one, not only that, but it is more powerful and more reliable. KW HL451 TRA engine, 1900 HP, 25,33 power to weight ratio. The old frontal weakspot (once being a machine gun port) has been cut, as was the 20mm Oerlikon near the commander's cupola. The cupola itself is also of a new design. The new turret front gains a coaxial 20mm NGFlaK '23 instead, paired with the 115mm main gun. * MBT-1 ausf. D - Experimental version with only 2 built. New experimental turrets that could use several guns, including, but not limited to: standard 115mm NGKwK '24 L/71, 88mm Schnellfeuerkanone L/100, 75mm L/42 MSCO and 75mm L/51 MSCO2. * MBT-1 ausf. E - a massive improvement all-around. Incorporates detachable stowage, a different engine and more armor than ever. The frontal composite plate is now also spaced, instead of the single 95-mm thick one found on the older variants. A new planetary transmission reduces vehicle speed but is far more reliable. Tarkeshan-type commander's cupolas and new driving and gunlaying systems are also used. 1900 horse-power HL451 ausf. B, 25,78 power/weight ratio. In the fall of 3526, all variants of the MBT-1 recieved the new Serienturm MBT-1 ausf. E turret, which enabled the tanks to carry much more stowage than the usual, in a special container attached to the rear of the turret. The update also included a new fire control system, which made the tank more technically sophisticated than ever. MBT-2 The MBT-2 is an experimental main battle tank, similar to the MBT-1B in the sense that it has modular gun design. In exchange to its far worse armor values (especially at the sides), the MBT-2 is a great deal lighter, and far faster and more mobile. It also has a different, three-man turret that can house a second radio operator inside. It's also generally more flexible due to this turret, which rotates a little bit quicker. Armament The MBT-2 can carry two types of guns, one of them being the Rheinmetall 120mm smoothbore L/44 gun, the other one - a NGKwK '25 120mm L/60 rifled gun, that is similar to the 115mm in the sense it uses its high velocity to penetrate armor. The tank has a coaxial M242 Bushmaster, paired with the main gun. Armor The tank's armor, while still adequate, has been nerfed to oblivion, and only the front remains as bouncy as on the MBT-1. The turret, however, has much stronger front than the MBT-1's all-around-armored turret. Handling The MBT-2 is still a little slow-ish, but the top speed and general mobility has been considerably improved over the MBT-1. Now the tank has far easier time if it gets stuck or toppled forward, it is also a great deal lighter, and this contributes, too. MBT-3 An experimental main battle tank, wielding a 88mm SfK L/100 autoloader, far better armor than the MBT-2, although it is still badly outclassed by MBT-1. It uses a new gas turbine engine, which bumps up its top speed up to 66 km/h, it is also even less heavier than the MBT-2. * MBT-3/1 - MBT-3 with an MBT-1 turret. Armament The tank uses a 88mm autoloader, the Schnellfeuerkanone, L/100 - a high-velocity gun which allows better penetration. Also, its new-generation turret out-paces the hull traverse of the tank. Armor The MBT-3 is not poorly armored for sure, however, it is not the behemoth MBT-1. It has reasonable enough armor, unlike the MBT-2, which can be penetrated from the most unusual of angles. Its turret has been made as a rounded design, which is built to deflect most of the projectiles and does not rely on composite construction or raw thickness. Also its flat, spaced armor has been replaced by sloped skirt side armor. In 3526, the MBT-3's first (ausf. A) production variant entered service as a mid-sized scout/supporting tank to guard artillery. Recently, after discussions among Norgencian tank warfare theorists whether the 88mm autoloader is useful, it was decided to redesign the tank so it can use the autoloader, 115mm guns from the MBT-1, 120mm standard guns. This became the MBT-3 ausf. B, which only exists in blueprints for now, though a prototype is under contruction. MBT-451 (t) The Norgencian inventory designation of the older Tarkeshan tanks Norgencia bought almost immediately after its foundation. These tanks are supposedly the oldest of the tanks Republic of Tarkesha has ever designed. In Norgencia, they were rebuilt with newer 115mm weapons (shorter versions of the ones found on MBT-1 tanks) These tanks, while getting decent firepower after their Norgencian refits, are still quite slow and sluggish, and outdated too. They sure are as well-armored as most Tarkeshan MBT's. The tanks are almost at the end of their service lives, which means their chassis will be re-used at some point to create self-propelled artillery vehicles. Variants of the MBT-451 * MBT-451 ausf. A (120) - the original 120mm-armed tanks, recieved in 3522. 140 bought from Tarkesha, 15 of them using the original 120mm gun. * MBT-451 ausf. A (115) - armed with a 115mm NGKwK '24 L/71 rifled gun. 96 rearmed with this weapon. * 17,2cm SchwFH (451) - a 172mm L/28 howitzer based on the MBT-451, built in accordance with an order to find a use for the now-obsolete tanks. 20 converted. * MBT-451/1 - Rebuilt with an MBT-1 turret. Only one has ever been made. Several MBT-451's (three to be exact) are museum tanks - one in Borcia, one in Kalema, and the third one is in Kaena. MBT-4 A joint Norgencian-Tarkeshan project intended to (at least partially) replace the MBT-1, which was found to have a massive size and poor mobility, and as a result a tank better in those two respects was needed, so the MBT-4 was created with Tarkeshan help. The tank is of modular design with two turrets and two guns. Armament The tank's standard turret, MBT-4 Serienturm, can only take on a standard 120mm gun with a length of 44 calibers, which can fire shells as well as anti-tank missiles, while the second (Norgencian-made) Schmalturm turret can use the 120mm gun, as well as the standard 115mm NGKwK '24 rifled gun with a length of 71 calibers. The tanks' secondary armament consists of a modular design as well - either a 7,62mm ShKAS machine gun or a 20mm autocannon. The guns are similar to the ones MBT-1's turret can mount, although the computerised sighting system and radars are something the crudely-built MBT-1 lacks, so the firepower is still a meaty upgrade. Armor Armor is good, similar to the MBT-1 in the sense that it is almost impenetrable frontally, especially since it lacks the MBT-1's mini-casemate machine gun in the front. The side is relatively strong and can bounce its own gun, but not up straight like the MBT-1 or MBT-3, lacking the former's spaced side, or the side skirts of the latter, though still very good. Manoeuverability The top speed is great at 71 km/h, and the hull traverses quickly. Overall, the MBT-4 combines (partially) the MBT-1's armor with the high agility of Tarkeshan tanks, although it probably won't be replacing the MBT-1 tanks immediately, especially because due to their "high-level" fighting and gunnery capabilities the simply-made MBT-1 lacks.